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Member Profiles
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When Phyllis joined Zonta in 1986, she looked forward to making new friends who also worked who understood the demands a job made on one's life. She also hoped to absorb different ideas from other women in the organization, which, according to her, has worked out well.
Phyllis grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, one of three girls born to an ear, nose and throat surgeon and a former interior decorator from Canada. When she was in the 7th grade, her family moved to a farm outside of St. Louis and, to this day, she enjoys and respects rural life.
Although she originally was interested in veterinary school, Phyllis attended college at Wellesley in Boston where she especially enjoyed classes such as Beginning Greek (already showing her love of diversity in learning).
"I spent most of my college life on academic probation," she laughs. "I learned how to play bridge, so instead of studying for my exams, I was playing cards."
Phyllis and her husband Lucian (Luke) were married after her senior year of college, and she completed her final exam from Washington University in St. Louis to earn her English degree. She was first able to join her Air Force husband in Goldsboro, North Carolina, where they lived for 6-8 months. Next, they were stationed in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and over Luke's military career lived in Texas three times and California twice. Phyllis says they made so many trips across country for temporary duty assignments that they decided to "live in the middle" when Luke retired in 1961. Colorado was the perfect place since they have family on both coasts and in Canada.
During the "military" part of her life, Phyllis focused on raising their two children - Chris and Kitty - and enjoyed playing golf. Chris now lives in Dallas and Kitty in Washington, DC. Phyllis speaks proudly of her six grandchildren who are scattered all over the world: Washington, DC, San Francisco, Germany, Dallas, Fort Collins and Calgary.
Phyllis has worked at Chinook Bookshop for the past 35 years, starting as a gift wrapper two hours a day, three days a week, and working full-time since then. She currently works as assistant manager.
When asked why she has stayed with the same business her entire working career, Phyllis said, "Interacting with customers, being surrounded by books, and having close friendships with the staff have created the best of jobs for me. Why would I go anywhere else?"
Reading well-written fiction, scientific and out-of-the-ordinary non-fiction books rates at the top of the list of hobbies Phyllis enjoys when she's not working. She also loves gardening, working outdoors and looks forward to playing golf again after she retires.